Ski binding

ABSTRACT

A ski binding comprising a box-like hollow body pivotally supported about a pin, the hollow body having a room therein. Two pairs of projections are disposed in the room substantially in symmetrical relation to each other with respect to the pin. A pair of elongated plate springs are inserted between the pin and projections, one of the springs being inserted between the pin and pair of projections, and the other between the pin and the other pair of projections. The springs are engaged with flat sections formed on both sides of the pin. The springs act to apply the urging forces to the pin and projections, so that the body is held in position. The body may be provided with another member adjusting the urging forces of the springs.

United States Patent lshida 1451 Aug. 7, 1973 SKI BINDING .Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh [75] Inventor: Yoshikatsu lshida, Hamamatsu Assistant EXaminerfiRobert Song Japan A ttomey-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen 731 Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Y Kaisha, Shizuoka-ken, Japan [57] ABSTRACT A ski binding comprising a box-like hollow body pivot- [22] Sept 1971 ally supported about a pin, the hollow body having a [21] Appl. No.: 177,571 room therein. Two pairs of projections are disposed in the room substantially in symmetrical relation to each other with respect to the pin. A pair of elongated plate [30] Foreign Apphcauon Pnomy Data springs are inserted between the pin and projections, Sept. l4, 1970 Japan 45/80324 one f the Springs being i d between the pin and 4 pair of projections, and the other between the pin and [S2] Cl 280/1135 T the other pair of projections The Springs are engaged [51] Int. Cl. .1. A63c 9/00 with flat Sections formed on both Sides oifyther m The [58] Field of Search 280/] L35 T Springs act to apply the urging forces h pin and projections, so that the body is held in position; The [56] References C'ted body may be provided with another member adjusting UNITED STATES PATENTS the urging forces of the springs.

3,194,574 7/1965 Beyl 280/1135 T 3,406,981 10/1968 Scheib 280/1135 T 5 D'awmg F'gures 3,292,941 l2/l966 Berchtold 280/1135 T SKI BINDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a binding of a ski which is held on a desired position of the ski under the action of a plate spring or springs which are made adjustable from outside of the binding.

Most of the ski bindings employ such mechanism as, when the stress transmitted from the ski to the shoe of the skier exceeds a value beyond which injury to the skier may occur, automatically releases the shoe from the ski. However, such conventional mechanisms are very complicated, usually employing coil springs, etc. for coupling the shoe to the binding. The strength of the coil springs, which are concealed within the binding, are always uniform and unadjustable. For this reason, the holding force of the conventional binding cannot be adjusted in accordance with the physical strength of the foot of the skier. Thus, for a person having a weaker foot strength, the foot (or shoe) of the person cannot be released from the ski even when a stress in excess of the strength of the foot is applied to the foot of the skier, tending to cause sprain or fracture of bones of the skiers foot, and for a person having a stronger foot strength, there has been a tendency wherein the binding is released by a slight twist of the foot, thus causing casual removal of the ski out of the foot of the skier.

Furthermore, the condition of skiing is much different depending on the condition of snow wherein such snow is either fresh snow, trodden snow, or icy snow, and the force applied to the ski is usually far stronger when the skier runs on the fresh snow than on the other snows. At that time, the holding force of the binding must be stronger than in other cases, and so long as the conventional unadjustable binding is employed in that case, the user must select a binding having ahigher holding strength than for the other cases, and this means that the skier must prepare bindings of different strengths adapted for different conditions of snow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved binding for a ski whereby all of the above described drawbacks of the conventional bindings can be substantially overcome.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ski binding which, though simple in construction, has an adequate shoe-holding power.

Still another object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved'binding for a ski wherein the holding force for the shoe (foot) of a skier can be adjusted as desired.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved binding of ski comprising a base plate, a pin projecting from the base plate, the pin having a substantially flat section at one side thereof, a box-like body pivotally supported about the pin, the body having a shoe-engaging portion at one end and having a side wall defining a room therein, a pair of projections extending from the side wall into the room, plate spring means urgedly inserted between the pin and the pair of projections, the plate spring means being engageable with the substantially flat section of the pin and pressing the pin and'the pair of projections under the urging force of the spring means.

According to another aspect of the invention, the improved binding of the ski may include another means for adjusting the urging force of the plate spring means.

The nature, principle, and utility of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, in section, of a ski binding. front or toe piece which constitutes an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the front or toe piece shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 1, of a ski binding front or toe piece which constitutes another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view,'similar to FIG. 1, of a ski binding front or toe piece which constitutes still another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the front or toe piece shown in FIG. 4. i

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is indicated a ski binding front or toe piece constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a box-like main body I of a hollow construction. The main body 1 has a shoe-engaging portion at one end, that is, it has a curved rear end 2 of a radius conforming to the radius of the forward end of a ski-shoe. The main body 1 also has a hollow space or room 3 which is defined by a side wall In of the body 1. The box-like body 1 is pivotally supported about a vertical pin 10, which vertically projects from a base plate 16, extending through the room 3. Two pairs of projections 4, 5, and 6, 7 are extended into the hollow space or room 3 from the opposite portions of the side wall la, so that the projections 4 and 5 oppose respectively the projections 6 and 7. The projections 4, 5, 6 and 7 are disposed substantially in symmetrical relation to each other with respect to the vertical pin l0.Further the positional relations'between the pin 10 and the projections 4 through 7 are such that the distance between the line connecting the top ends of the pair of projections 4 and 5 or 6 and 7 and'the peripheral edge of the-pin l0 closest to said line is very narrow, permitting only the forced insertion therebetween of a plate spring mentioned'later on. The pin 10 has a pair of substantially flat grooves 15 and 15 formed at its opposite upper portions closest to the lines connecting the top ends of the projections 4 and 5, and 6 and 7, respectively. Two elongated plate springs 8 and 9 are forcedly inserted between the pin 10 and the projections 4 through 7, one 8 of the plate springs being inserted between the pin 10 and the projections 4 and 5, and the other 9 between the pin 8 and the projections 6 and 7. The plate springs thus inserted are fitted into the grooves 15 and 15 and tightly held therein. The forced insertion of the plate spring into the pin and the projections exerts urging forces on both the pin and projections, thus retaining the skibinding front or toe piece main body 1 to be situated in a predetermined position. Furthermore, between the plate springs 8 and 9, at the forward ends thereof, there is provided a spring pressure (or urging force) adjusting member 11 which is intergrally fixed to one end of a screw 12.

Through the forward end of the main body 1 of the binding, a threaded hole 14 is bored, and the screw 12 is passed through the hole 14 forwardly. At the forward end of the screw 14, there is fixed a knob 13, and when the knob 13 is rotated in either of directions as indicated in FIG. 1, the spring pressure adjusting member 11 is shifted forwardly or rearwardly between the pair of plate springs 8 and 9, and the pressure or urging force exerted onto the vertical pin 10 and projections 4 through 7 by means of the plate springs 8 and 9 is thereby varied as desired, since the spaces between the forward ends of the plate springs 8 and 9, which otherwise are made narrower towards the forward ends thereof by the existance of the projections 4 and 6, can be widened by the adjusting member 11.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a ski shoe 20 is shown in dotted lines, and reference numeral 17 designates a ski plate to which the base plate 16 of the binding is fixedly attached.

In FIG. 3, there is indicated another embodiment of this invention which is substantially similar to the above described embodiment except the mechanism which serves to move the spring pressure (or urging force) adjusting member. The spring pressure adjusting member 11 of this embodiment is constructed into a nut of a substantially square configuration having a central threaded hole, and a screw 12 having a knob 13 at the forward end thereof in an integral manner is in this embodiment inserted into a through hole 18 provided at the center of the forward end of the binding main body 1.The threadedportion of the screw 12 engages the nut-shaped spring pressure adjusting member 11', so that when the knob 13 is rotated in either of the directions, the nutshaped spring pressure adjusting member 11' is shifted forwardly or rearwardly and the spring pressure exerted onto the vertical pin 10 and projections 4 to 7 is thereby adjusted. On the smooth or nonthreaded portion of the screw 12' just inward of the hole 18, there is provided a stopper 19 fixed to the screw 12' in any suitable manner, so that the screw 12' is thereby prevented from getting out of the hole 18.

The operation of the ski binding toe piece shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 will now be described more in detail. Since the pair of plate springs 8 and 9 are inwardly urged by means of the projections 4, and 6, 7 located near both ends of the plate springs, the vertical pin located substantially at the central portion of the body 1 is compressed between the pair of plate springs 8 and 9. The body 1 is held in position by this compressive force exterted onto the vertical pin 10, in other words, by the urging force of the-springs 8 and 9 exerted on the pin and projections. Even when a certain degree of stress acting to rotate the main body 1 about the pin 10 is applied from the shoe of the skier to the binding, the plate springs 8 and 9 are tightly engaged with the flat grooves and 15 of the pin 10 under the compressive or urging force of the springs themselves, preventing the rotation of the body 1, so that the shoe is tightly held by the binding. However, if the stress exceeds a value beyond which injury to the foot of the skier may occur, the force with which the stress tends to rotate the body 1 about the pin 10 overcomes the force with which the plate springs engage with the flat grooves of the pin and then causes the body 1 to rotate about the pivot pin 10, thus safely releasing the shoe (foot) of the skier from the binding. When it is desired to strengthen the compressive force or the urging force, the spring pressure adjusting member 11 or 11 is shifted forwardly by the rotation of the knob 13 or 13' in either of the directions, whereby the forward ends of the plate springs 8 and 9 are forced to be opened by the forwardly shifted adjusting member 11 or 11', and the afore-said compressive force or urging force is thereby increased.

In the above described embodiments, the one shown in FIG. 1 is so constructed that the spring pressure adjusting member 11 and the screw 12 are shifted forwardly or backwardly in unison when the knob 13 provided at the forward end of the screw 12 is rotated in either of the directions, and the other shown in FIG. 3 is so constructed that only the spring pressure adjusting member 11 is shifted forwardly or rearwardly along the screw 12' when the knob 13' is rotated.

In FIG. 4, there is indicated still another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the main body 1 of the ski binding front piece is also formed into a similar configuration as in FIG. 1 having shoe-engaging portion at one end, anda side wall 1a defining a hollow space or room 3 inside of the main body 1. Within the hollow space 3, near the rearward end thereof, a pair of projections 4' and 5' are extended inwardly from the side wall la of the main body l. A pair of plate springs 8 and 9 are disposed in the space 3 in such a manner that the rearward ends of the plate springs are supported between the two projections 4 and 5' and that the forward ends of the springs are urged inwardly by means of a spring pressure adjusting member 21 having a substantially C-shaped cross section. A vertical pin 10 is extended between these plate springs 8 and 9 at a central portion thereof, and the portions of the vertical pin 10 contacting with the plate springs 8 and 9 are cut into flat grooves 15 and 15. The springs 8 and 9 are fitted in the grooves 15 and 15. The spring pressure adjusting member 21 has a threaded hole 22 bored at its central portion, and a screw 23 passing through the forward end wall of the main body 1 is engaged into the threaded hole 22. A knob 24 is provided at the forward end of the screw 23, and a stop member 25 is attached on the screw 23 at a position just inward of the forward end wall of the main body 1, so that any possibility of accidental removal of the screw 23 from the main body 1 is thereby prevented.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the distance between the ends 21a and2lb of the C- shaped adjusting member 21 is so set that, when the plate springs 8 and 9 are inserted into the space between the ends 2la and 21b of the member 21, the plate springs will exert a sufficient compressive force on the pin 10, thus keeping the main body to be situated in a predetermined position. The compressive force can be adjusted by the rotation of the knob 24 in either of the directions. By this way, the spring pressure adjusting member 21 is shifted rearwardly or forwardly along the screw 23, and when the member 21 is shifted rearwardly, it urges the forward ends of the plate springs 8 and 9 more strongly, and the vertical pin 10 is compressed more extensively by means of the plate springs 8 and 9. When the member 21 is shifted forwardly, the urging force at the forward ends of the plate springs is weakened and the compressive force exerted by the plate springs on the vertical pin 10 is thereby weakened. As is apparent from the above description, this invention presents the ski binding which, though simple in construction, provides an adequate holding force for retaining the shoe (foot), of the skier on the ski during the operation of the ski, and which hasa mechanism for adjusting the shoe-holding force of the binding. By properly adjusting the shoe-holding force of the binding, if too strong stress is applied to the binding from the foot of the skier, the main body 1 of the binding of this invention will be rotated about the pivot pin in opposition to the compressive force of the springs exerted on the pin 10, and will safely release the foot of the skier from the binding. In the embodiments described above, two plate springs are used for urging the pin and projections, but according to this invention, only one elongated plate spring may be used so long as the plate spring of greater urging force is employed.

What is claimed is:

l. A ski binding comprising a base plate, a pin projecting above said base plate, said pin having a substantially flat section at one side thereof, a box-like body pivotally supported about said pin and above said base plate, said body having a shoe-engaging portion at one end and having side walls each having an end communicating with said shoe-engaging portion, said side walls extending past said pin, thereby defining a room containing said pin, at least one pair of projections supported in said body and both extending toward one of said side walls and into said room, said projections being on opposite sides of said pin, plate spring means inserted under tension between said pin and said pair of projections, said plate spring means being engageable with said substantially flat section of said pin and pressing against said pin and said pair of projections under the urging force of said spring means.

2. The ski binding as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an adjusting'member adjusting the urging force of said spring means.

3. The ski binding as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of projections are attached to and project out of the other said sidewall toward the one said side wall.

4. A ski binding comprising a base plate, a pin projecting above said base plate, said pin having substantially flat sections at opposite sides thereof, a box-like body pivotally supported about said pin and above said base plate, said body having a shoe-engaging portion at one end and having side walls each having an end communicating with said shoe-engaging portion, said side walls extending past said pin, thereby defining a room containing said pin, one pair of projections supported in said body and extending toward one of said side walls and into said room and being on opposite sides of said pin, a second pair of projections supported in said binding and extending toward the other said side wall and into said room and being on opposite sides of said pin,

said projection pairs being disposed substantially in opposite relation to each other with said pin located between said pairs of projections, a pair of plate springs each inserted under tension between said pin and a respective pair of projections, said plate springs each being engageable with a respective said substantially flat section of said pin and pressing said pin and projections under the urging force of said plate spring.

5. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein said pairs of projections are substantially in symmetrical relation to each other with respect to said pin.

6. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plate springs are each in contact with an opposite side of said pin at the central portions of said plate springs, each said projection of each said pair of projections is in contact with a respective end portion of a respective said plate spring to press said end portions of one of said springs towards said end portions of the other of said springs.

7. The ski binding as claimed in claim 6 further comprising an adjusting member adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.

8. The ski binding as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adjusting member is located inside said plate springs, acting to widen the distance between said plate springs.

9. The ski binding as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adjusting member is located outside said plate springs, acting to narrow the distance between said plate springs.

10. 'The ski binding as claimed in claim, 4 further comprising an adjusting member adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.

11. The ski binding as claimed in claim. 10 wherein said adjusting member is attached to screw means, and the rotation of said screw means permits the movement of said adjusting member.

12 The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein the one said projection from each said pair of projections that is on one said side of said pin, together serve as adjusting means for adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.

13. The ski binding as claimed in claim 12 wherein said one said projections are formed into a substantially C-shaped cross section and attached to said box-like body through screw means.

14. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4, wherein said one pair of projections are attached to and project out of the other said side wall toward the one said side wall and said second pair ofprojections are attached to and project out of the one said side wall toward the other said side wall.

' i i i 

1. A ski binding comprising a basE plate, a pin projecting above said base plate, said pin having a substantially flat section at one side thereof, a box-like body pivotally supported about said pin and above said base plate, said body having a shoe-engaging portion at one end and having side walls each having an end communicating with said shoe-engaging portion, said side walls extending past said pin, thereby defining a room containing said pin, at least one pair of projections supported in said body and both extending toward one of said side walls and into said room, said projections being on opposite sides of said pin, plate spring means inserted under tension between said pin and said pair of projections, said plate spring means being engageable with said substantially flat section of said pin and pressing against said pin and said pair of projections under the urging force of said spring means.
 2. The ski binding as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an adjusting member adjusting the urging force of said spring means.
 3. The ski binding as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of projections are attached to and project out of the other said side wall toward the one said side wall.
 4. A ski binding comprising a base plate, a pin projecting above said base plate, said pin having substantially flat sections at opposite sides thereof, a box-like body pivotally supported about said pin and above said base plate, said body having a shoe-engaging portion at one end and having side walls each having an end communicating with said shoe-engaging portion, said side walls extending past said pin, thereby defining a room containing said pin, one pair of projections supported in said body and extending toward one of said side walls and into said room and being on opposite sides of said pin, a second pair of projections supported in said binding and extending toward the other said side wall and into said room and being on opposite sides of said pin, said projection pairs being disposed substantially in opposite relation to each other with said pin located between said pairs of projections, a pair of plate springs each inserted under tension between said pin and a respective pair of projections, said plate springs each being engageable with a respective said substantially flat section of said pin and pressing said pin and projections under the urging force of said plate spring.
 5. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein said pairs of projections are substantially in symmetrical relation to each other with respect to said pin.
 6. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plate springs are each in contact with an opposite side of said pin at the central portions of said plate springs, each said projection of each said pair of projections is in contact with a respective end portion of a respective said plate spring to press said end portions of one of said springs towards said end portions of the other of said springs.
 7. The ski binding as claimed in claim 6 further comprising an adjusting member adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.
 8. The ski binding as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adjusting member is located inside said plate springs, acting to widen the distance between said plate springs.
 9. The ski binding as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adjusting member is located outside said plate springs, acting to narrow the distance between said plate springs.
 10. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an adjusting member adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.
 11. The ski binding as claimed in claim 10 wherein said adjusting member is attached to screw means, and the rotation of said screw means permits the movement of said adjusting member.
 12. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4 wherein the one said projection from each said pair of projections that is on one said side of said pin, together serve as adjusting means for adjusting the urging forces of said plate springs.
 13. The ski binding as claimed in claim 12 Wherein said one said projections are formed into a substantially C-shaped cross section and attached to said box-like body through screw means.
 14. The ski binding as claimed in claim 4, wherein said one pair of projections are attached to and project out of the other said side wall toward the one said side wall and said second pair of projections are attached to and project out of the one said side wall toward the other said side wall. 